History Of Patan Durbar Square

If the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square has a unique combination of Malla and Shah period architecture, Patan Durbar Square, on the other hand, reflects the singular Malla architecture. In comparison to the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, it is smaller in size, but it comprises a number of unique architectural styles. Manga Hiti, the sunken stone water spouts, and the magnificent Krishna Temple, as a Shikhara – style temple built of stone, are but a few examples of its opulence. More than 30 monuments, each a masterpiece, are clustered in a small area measuring roughly 160 by 70 meters. An additional 30 monuments are located in the immediate vicinity.

Patan Durbar Square is the most spectacular example of Nepalese architecture in an urban context. Right in the middle of the hustling downtown Mangal Bazzar stands the famous palace of the Malla kings known as Maningal Rajprasad, of the palace of Maningal, probably built during the Lichchhavi period (beginning of the 1st century to 9th century). Among the latter kings of Patan, Siddhi Narashima Mall (1618-61), Sri Niwas Malla (1661-85) and Yog Narendra Mall (1685-1706) added to the grandeur of the palace complex.

Among its numerous courtyards, the recently renovated Keshav Narayan Chowk has been converted into a bronze artefact museum. The main entrance of this courtyard and the windows on the second floor with the figure of God Avalokeshwar in the middle are guided. A highly impressive and exquisite monument is the stone temple of Lord Krishna, situated in an imposing location in the Durbar Square complex. King Siddhi Narshima Malla built this temple in 1636. It features 21 gilded pinnacles -the highest number ever built in the valley. Another unique feature of this temple is the bas-relief carvings on the walls and ceilings, depicting major scenes from the great Hindu epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Krishna Temple of Patan Durbar Square is undoubtedly one of the finest stone structures in the Kathmandu Valley and is, thus of considerable national importance.

Other important temples of the Durbar Square are the Char Narayan Temple constructed in 1565 by King Purandhar Singh, the Bishwa Nath Temple constructed by King Sri Niwas Malla in 1626 and the large rectangular three -storeyed Bhimsen Temple constructed in the 16th century. There is also the octagonal Shikhara -Style Krishna Temple known as Chyasilin Dewal.

Patan Durbar Square, located in the middle of the city, has assimilated the vibrant atmosphere of a crowded bazaar. Outside the Patan Durbar Square, there are numerous other important monuments, such as the Maha Bouddha terra -cotta Shikhara temple constructed at the beginning of the 17th century, Hiranya Varna Mahavihara, or the Golden Temple, built in the early 15th century and the five -storeyed Khumbheshwar Mahadev Temple built at the beginning of the Malla period – it is one of the only two surviving five -storeyed temples in the country, the other being the Nyatapola Temple in Bhaktapur.